This invention relates to a fenching system and particularly to one manufactured by a moulding technique from a plastics material.
Fencing systems particularly for use in a farm environment require continual maintenance and attention to remain in a satisfactory condition. This is particularly important in the farming environment in view of the fact that damaged fences can cause loss of livestock and can allow access to the fields by unauthorized persons.
Generally such fencing systems use barbed wire as the main fencing component with posts for supporting the barbed wire manufactured either from metal or from wood. Wooden posts, of course, are very prone to rotting at ground level and require regular replacement. Metal posts similarly have problems with corrosion and also provide difficulty in attaching the barbed wire to the post.
In addition fencing systems are required for more decorative or home uses in which a pair of runners are supported between adjacent posts with pickets or page fencing supported on the runners. In such cases a low maintenance requirement is of high priority in the choice of such fencing with wood thus becoming less popular and being replaced by metal posts which however are very unattractive and are still subject to some corrosion.
Various prior proposals have been made for fencing systems which are manufactured from a plastics material including various designs and arrangements which overcome or attempt to overcome the unique problems which are generated by the use of plastics as the material of the fencing system.
However none of these previous designs has provided an effective product for use in a farming environment or a product which is sufficiently adaptable for use either in a farming environment or in a less commercial situation.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved fencing system of the type which can be moulded from a plastics material.
According to the invention, therefore, there is providing a fencing system comprising an integral moulded plastics post having a length such that it can extend from beneath the ground to a position exposed from the ground and two pairs of end receiving means for receiving and retaining the ends of longitudinal runners, each pair being arranged in spaced vertically aligned relationship in said exposed portion with one pair on one side of the post and the other pair on an opposed side of the post, each end receiving means comprising a vertically extending slot in said post and a transverse separate pin member extending through a transverse bore through said post intersecting said slot.
The invention, therefore, provides a unique method of coupling a post to a runner with the runner either being used to support pickets or page fencing or to provide a coupling between an end post and a stabilizing post for supporting a wire with the main tension on the wire acting to pull on the end post.
In addition the post can be designed with notches of a particular shape at the corners of the post for receiving wire and retaining it in the required position.
The runners can include a finger which projects over the pin into the slot to retain the runner in position. The runner can include along a side surface thereof a slot, the width of which increases with increasing depth so as to receive the head of a screw or the like for attaching a picket to the runner.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the best mode known to the applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention, in which: